Ground fitting



April'21, 1936. J. MANGIN 2,038,436 1 GROUND FITTING Filed Deo, 21 19552 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. MANGIN 2,038,436

GROUND FITTING April'zl, 1936 Filed Dec. '21, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Apr. 21,1936

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE GROUND FITTING Jersey Application December21, 1933, Serial No. 703,467

2 Claims.

This invention relates to connector devices and particularly to groundfittings, and has for its principal object the provision of a simple andefficient fitting of the type that enables the grounding connection of aconductor to a pipe regardless of the angle of approach of the conductorwith respect to the pipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel constructionwhereby a membermay be adjustably attached to a pipe, rod or the like.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a novel pipe clampand a conductor-receiving member, the said clamp and member being formedso as to novelly cooperate toward the desired end, the fastening meansof the clamp serving the additional function of holding the clamp andconductor-receiving member together.

The invention may be clearly understood by reference to the followingdetailed description of the embodiments of the device shown in thedrawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the device in operativeassociation with a pipe;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through the center of the device;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of a modification;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the same device; and

Fig. 5 is a right hand face view of the device as shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the device shown thereincomprises a pipe clamp I, which is adapted to tightly embrace a pipe 2,and a conductor-receiving member 3 adapted for novel cooperation withthe clamp. The pipe clamp comprises a yoke 4 and a pipe-seating member5. The yoke is preferably, though not necessarily, flattened; as at .5,to provide a large pipe-engaging area. The threaded legs I of the yokeextend through openings 8 in the pipe-seating member 5 and are adaptedto receive fastening nuts 9. The pipe-seating member preferably hasformed therein on one side a pipe-seating recess in which the pipesnugly seats, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. While desirable, it is notnecessary that the pipe-seating member be recessed to seat the pipe. Theseating surface may be fiat, for example. It will be seen that when theclamp is cperatively actuated by drawing up or tightening the nuts 9, itwill be securely attached to the pipe and will make good electricalcontact therewith, especially since the portion 6 of the yoke and thepipe seat IE3 have large pipe-engaging surfaces.

The pipe-seating member has formed in its opposite side a recess I Iwhich is centrally located between openings 8, the openings beingadjacent the recess on opposite sides thereof. The recess is adapted toreceive and snugly seata knob or .head l2 carried by and integral withthe conductor-receiving member 3. Preferably, the recess H and the knobI2 are circular so that the 'knob may be rotated within the recess ineither direction, asindicated by the double head arrow in Fig. l. Theknob is of a configuration similar to the recess so that it seats snuglyin the recess and is, at the same time, adapted for rotary adjustment.The purpose of this adjustment is to enable the positioning of theconductor-receiving member at various angles relative to the pipe andthe pipe clamp to accommodate a conductor approaching the pipe from agiven direction. By virtue of this adjustment and the adjustability ofthe pipe clamp about the pipe, it will be seen that a groundingconnection of a conductor may be made regardless of the direction ofapproach of the conductor. The recess and knob are preferably tapered,as shown.

The flange portion of the knob I2 is engageable by nuts 9, as shownclearly in Fig. 2, so that the nuts serve the additional function oflocking the conductor-receiving member in adjusted position and securingthe same rigidly to the pipe clamp. The nuts, when tightened, bear uponthe knob and exert the required pressure thereon.

The conductor-receiving portion I3 of member 3 is preferably disposedsubstantially at right angles to the knob or head. Portion I3 isinternally threaded to receive a conductor conduit M carrying theinsulated ground wire I5. The

- conductor-receiving member is also preferably formed to provide acradle recess l6 adapted to receive and give access to the ground wireterminal H which may be secured mechanically and electrically by meansof screw, [8. The cradle recess may be formed by the provision of anextended wall l9. It will be seen that this construction gives readyaccess to the ground wire terminal and, at the same time, the saidterminal is snugly seated. Although not shown, a cover could be providedfor the cradle recess if desired.

Although it is desirable to have the recess H and knob l2 circularlyformed to provide for rotary movement of the conductor-receiving memberrelative to the clamp, the recess and. knob may take the form of aregular polygon providing as many adjusting positions of theconductor-receiving member as there are sides of the polygon. In suchcase, it would be necessary,

of course, to remove the knob from the recess to adjust the positionthereof.

The modification shown in Figs. 3 to 5 differs from the above describeddevice in that the conductor-receiving member is modified. In this casethe said member 3a.- is formed to provide a clamp element 20 at its end,which element 00- operates with clamp element 2| and screws 22 to holdthe conductor l5 securely. Thus the two-part clamp is adapted to receiveand hold an insulated conductor. An inclined surface on theconductor-receiving member provides for attachment of terminal I! byscrew 1'8. Aside from the modification of the conductor-receivingmember, the device is the same as the previously described device andoperates in the same manner.

From the disclosure and above description, it will be seen that thedevice is very simple in construction, but at the same time, iseflicient in performance of its intended function. By vir tue of itssimplicity, the device may be made economically and maybe sold atrelatively low cost.

Although only two forms of the device have been illustrated herein, forthe purpose of -dis closure, it will be understood that various changesand modifications as to the details of the device may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a ground fitting, a member having a pipe seat and a recess onopposite sides thereof, a pipe-embracing member extending through saidmember adjacent said recess, a conductor-receiving member having a knobseated snugly in said recess and adjustable throughout a circle in aplane perpendicular to the axis of said recess, whereby saidconductor-receiving member may be positioned at various angles to saidpipe, said conductor-receiving member having a cradle recess with meanstherein for the attachment of a ground wire terminal, and operatingmeans-0n said pipe-embracing member engaging the flange of said knob tosecure the conductorreceivingmember and to actuate the pipe clamp.

2. 'In a ground fitting, a member having a pipe seat and a recess onopposite sides thereof, a pipe-embracing member extending through saidmember adjacent said recess, a conductorreceiving member having a knobseated snugly in said recess and adjustable throughout a circle in aplane perpendicular to the axis of said recess, whereby saidconductor-receiving member may be positioned at-various angles to saidpipe, said conductor-receiving .member having means separate from saidpipe-embracing member for the attachment of a ground wire, and operatingmeans on said pipe-embracing member engaging the fiange of said knob tosecure the conductor-receiving-member and to actuate the pipe clamp.

JAMES MANGIN.

